Today, we are exposed to an increasing number of chemicals in the environment and there is a growing awareness of the effects of these chemicals on the ovaries. Infertility resulting from environmental exposures may not be obvious until the reproductive life span is waning. As such, the potential for xenobiotic-induced infertility needs to be better understood. In recent years, research into chemicals that have the potential to cause early menopause by destroying pre-antral ovarian follicles is gaining greater appreciation. Ovarian Toxicology, Second Edition represents a compilation of chapters prepared by researchers who have substantially contributed to our understanding of the impact of xenobiotics and environmental factors on ovarian function. The second edition substantially updates newly investigated ovotoxicants as well as improved mechanistic insights that have emerged since the first edition. Topics include: Ovarian physiology and the metabolism of xenobiotics The effect of pesticides, heavy metals, phthalates, BPA, and cigarette smoking on the ovaries Ovarian cancer, including endocrine effects and new perspectives on chemoresistance Epidemiology and human health risk assessment for environmental chemicals and pharmaceuticals The first book to focus specifically on ovarian toxicology, this resource is ideal for scientists in academia, regulatory agencies, and industry who would benefit from a survey of the impact of xenobiotic chemicals on ovarian function.

Bringing together the latest information on the organization, management and quality of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) units, this is the first true field guide for the clinician working in assisted reproductive technologies (ART). Divided thematically into four main sections, part one discussed the establishment and organization of the IVF unit, including location, design and construction, practical considerations for batching IVF cycles, and regulations and risk management. Part two, the largest section, covers the many aspects of overall quality management and its implementation - staff and patient management, cryobank and PGD/PGS management, and data management - as well as optimization of treatment outcomes and statistical process control analysis to assess quality variation. Part three addresses the relationship between IVF units and society at large, including the ethics of IVF treatment, as well as public/low-cost and private/corporate IVF units. Advertising and marketing for IVF units is discussed in part four, including the building and managing of websites and the use of traditional print and social media. With approximately five thousand IVF units worldwide and a growing number of training programs, Organization and Management of IVF Units is a key resource for clinic directors, unit managers, embryologists, quality experts, and students of reproductive medicine and clinical embryology.

This gold standard text has kept its readers abreast of rapid advancements in reproductive medicine and surgery since 1983. Continuing this tradition, this fifth edition has been fully updated and revised to provide clear, didactic advice on best practice for a variety of clinical situations faced by practitioners across many specialties - including urologists, gynecologists, reproductive endocrinologists, medical endocrinologists and many in internal medicine and family practice who see men with suboptimal fertility and reproductive problems. Completely restructured to include pedagogical features such as easily accessible key concepts that cement understanding and real-world use. Covering everything from foundations of anatomy and embryology, through clinical evaluation, diagnostic approaches, treatment and fertility care in context within the healthcare system and society, thrilling advances and future directions are also included. This new edition is an essential reference for all who are working in this young and rapidly evolving field.

Technologies of Sexuality, Identity and Sexual Health highlights the complex ways in which sexuality is expressed and enacted through local ideologies, global identities and material cultures, and their influence on people s sexual health and well-being. Its impetus is the renewed interest in technology and the social life of things, including pharmaceuticals, expanded sexual and related surgery, the growing exploitation of markets for sexual and contraceptive products, and the impact of these on sexual and health practices and outcomes.

Organised loosely into three parts, the opening chapters concentrate on female contraception, its availability, and the varied cultural significance attached to the ability to control its use, exploring the politics of reproductive health and birth control, and the ties between technology and power. The middle section turns its attention to men, and the impact of traditional and contemporary concerns about masculinity, and the social and sexual roles of men. The final chapters look at the commonalities across cultural borders and sexual gendered identities how products and procedures travel, not only through the formal channels of globalisation, but also informally, carried by individuals across cultural and social boundaries through sexual, social and commercial interactions.

The volume brings together anthropologists, sociologists and cultural studies scholars, both senior and emerging, from around the globe. Offering an important and topical contribution to the developing global literature on sexuality, sexual identity, culture and health, it is of interest to researchers and advanced students in these areas.

One in seven couples experience problems in conceiving, and this book provides information about fertility investigations, treatments, management and dilemmas. This overview of the management of couples with fertility problems is a straightforward account of best practice in the UK today. Fertility treatments have many ethical implications and the book explains the challenges we face following new developments in assisted reproduction, cloning, surrogacy and rationing. Fertility Problems helps GPs and their teams undertake as much management as possible in primary care, and enables them to understand and explain the issues to infertile patients. The book is also useful for patients themselves. Junior doctors, nurses, counsellors and members of ethics committees will find it a valuable introduction and overview. Much of the material is based on the guidelines for clinical management produced by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. The author is a general practitioner and former member of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

This new edition of an acclaimed text reviews the evidence for best practice in Maternal-Fetal Medicine, to present the reader with the right information, with appropriate use of proven interventions and avoidance of ineffectual or harmful ones. The information is presented in the right format by summarizing evidence succinctly and clearly in tables and algorithms. The aim is to inform the clinician, to reduce errors and "to make it easy to do it right." The volume can be purchased separately or together with the companion volume on Obstetric Evidence Based Guidelines (set ISBN 9780367567033). The Series in Maternal-Fetal Medicine is published in conjunction with the Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine. From reviews of previous editions: An excellent resource with quick and easy protocols... this book has a permanent spot on my shelf. -Doody's Review Service

This reference work on andrology begins with a discussion of male infertility. It discusses genetic causes, conventional treatment, non-surgical methods for sperm retrieval, and assisted reproduction techniques. It also covers andrological endocrinology with chapters on clinical investigation and laboratory analysis in male hypogonadism, as well as testosterone deficiency syndrome. Additional topics include urogentical infections and STDs, erectile dysfunction, psychological abnormalities of male sexual function, and reproductive cancers. The book emphasizes contemporary concern for evidence-based practice, minimizing interventions, and promoting male reproductive health.

This new edition provides an update on the molecular mechanisms that regulate spermatogenesis. In addition to the rodent as a study model, chapters also include research on studies in humans. It includes the latest approaches of studying spermatogenesis, such as the use of bioinformatics, molecular modeling and others which are not commonly found in published materials. It also reviews the latest developments in the field, such as studies on the role of regulatory RNAs on spermatogenesis. Due to the declining fertility rate among men, a brand new chapter highlights the impact of environmental toxicants on spermatogenesis.

These proceedings of the 2018 XIII International Symposium on Spermatology focus on comparative biology, and encourages discussion and the exchange of ideas. The aim of this Symposium was to provide a unique opportunity and bring together scientists from a wide spectrum of research fields - human, domestic animals and other mammals, vertebrates, insects, and plants. The underlying focus is on the function of the spermatozoon - a common feature for sexual reproduction, but extremely varied. By exploring the variability, a better understanding of male reproductive functions can develop. These proceedings address the mechanisms of physiology and pathophysiology, rather than diagnosis and treatment. The symposium featured keynote lectures by invited speakers, followed by presentations on specific aspects of the general topic of the session. Experimental studies are given priority over clinical studies of patient populations. The proceedings comprise both keynote speakers' texts and selected free communications. Posters were considered for publication in the proceedings, and the volume includes exhibited materials on the work of prominent spermatologists, highlighting their important past achievements in the field.

Stillbirth remains a sufficiently frequent outcome of pregnancy to pose great problems for clinicians, who have to treat extremely distressed patients. This concise but comprehensive book from an international team of contributors sets out clear guidelines for clinical procedures and patient management for the obstetrician, as well as the gynecologist and the gynecologic pathologist.

Oocyte cryopreservation entails important potential advantages for human IVF, offering a less ethically disputable alternative to embryo cryopreservation, simplifying and making safer oocyte donation, and giving an opportunity for fertility preservation to women at risk of premature ovarian failure as an effect of genetic factors or chemo- or radiotherapies. Oocyte cryopreservation could also meet the expectations of women wishing to preserve their fertility for social reasons. In the last few years, advances in cryopreservation methodologies have dramatically improved the efficiency of oocyte cryopreservation, leading to the birth of over a thousand babies and challenging the supremacy of embryo cryopreservation as the preferred form of fertility preservation. This text has been conceived with the aim of offering a comprehensive view of the state of the art of oocyte cryopreservation. It covers fundamental concepts of low temperature storage (controlled rate slow cooling and vitrification), aspects of oocyte physiology relevant to the process of cryopreservation, essential biological and clinical evidence, and ethical implications of oocyte cryopreservation, thereby providing a complete overview of progress in this strategy in assisted reproduction.

This thoroughly revised second edition is an up-to-date overview of the current knowledge of Notch and Notch signaling in embryology and cancer. It discusses this topic from Notch's role in the development of the embryo to the Notch signaling pathway's role in the development of a number of cancers, including breast cancer, malignant melanoma, Non-melanoma skin cancer, intestinal cancer and others. In the years since the previous edition, there have been numerous developments and insights within this rapidly moving field, making this new edition urgently needed. This volume also features discussions of current insights on Notch's role in senescence, the regulation of Notch signaling by microRNAs, Notch's role in the microbiome, diet and its influence on Notch signaling and more. Taken as a whole, with its companion books - Molecular Biology of Notch Signaling and Notch Signaling in Cancer - this is a definitive discussion of the topic, presented by internationally-recognized contributors. Presented in a coherent and accessible structure, this revised and updated second edition is an essential and up-to-date guide for oncologists, embryologists, researchers and advanced students.

An ideal reference for infertility specialists and reproductive endocrinologists alike, this comprehensive text discusses current natural and mild approaches to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and the development of in vitro maturation (IVM) as a clinical treatment. It is divided thematically into four sections. Part I presents the basic science of ovarian endocrinology and the mechanism of oocyte maturation, including follicular development and the importance of mitochondrial changes. The differences between natural cycle IVF and stimulated IVF are presented in part II, including the standard ovarian stimulation protocols and their outcomes and the etiology, prevention and management of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). Minimal and mild stimulation for IVF is discussed in part III, including mild stimulation protocols for oncofertility patients and the new minimally invasive INVO procedure. In vitro maturation as a clinical treatment is the subject of part IV, discussing the methodology of immature oocyte retrieval as well as other laboratory aspects and congenital and obstetrical outcomes of babies born from IVM. Combining expertise from thought leaders around the world, Development of In Vitro Maturation for Human Oocytes will be a go-to resource for infertility researchers and practitioners and reproductive endocrinologists working with infertile couples looking for safer and more cost-effective options for treatment.

"Studies on Men s Health and Fertility "provides a comprehensive series of up-to-the-minute reviews addressing the role of oxidative stress in the aetiology of reproductive pathologies in the male. This volume represents by far the most detailed, authoritative review of the field that has been produced to date. The text encompasses the basic science of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by mammalian spermatozoa, the way in which these highly reactive molecules are processed by the germ line and the physiological significance of this redox activity in the generation of a functional gamete. The factors responsible for perturbing the delicate balance between physiological redox signaling on the one hand and oxidative stress on the other are also extensively reviewed and some of the first clues concerning the underlying mechanisms (age, heat, infection, cryostorage, aberrant lipid metabolism), clearly identified. From a clinical perspective there are chapters setting out the methods we should be using to diagnose oxidative stress in the male germ line, a clinical perspective on the aetiology of this condition and detailed considerations of the most suitable means of ameliorating such stress from a therapeutic point of view.

"Studies on Men s Health and Fertility "is intended to provide clinicians and scientists with a snap shot of the current status of this exciting, rapidly moving field. The book will be of value to clinicians interested in strategies for the management of oxidative stress in their infertility patients and scientists wishing to understand the molecular mechanisms underpinning the generation of ROS by these cells and its pathophysiological significance. It was not so long ago that the ability of spermatozoa to generate ROS was a hotly disputed topic. With the publication of this book such doubts can finally be laid to rest. There is now no doubt that these cells actively generate ROS, that oxidative stress is a major contributor to defects in male reproductive health and that the successful clinical management of this condition depends on developing a deeper understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms. In this quest, "Studies on Men s Health and Fertility "will be seen as a clear and important milestone. "

The first IVF conceived birth in 1978 resulted in a significant growth of third party reproductive options which continue to raise ethical, legal, and psychological questions. Third party reproduction procedures can involve as many as five people: sperm donor, egg donor, gestational carrier, and intended parents. "Third-Party Reproduction: A Comprehensive Guide" utilizes experts in the field to address the medical, psychological, ethical and legal aspects of sperm donation, egg donation, embryo donation, and the use of gestational carriers. In addition, there are chapters on the medical and ethical aspects of posthumous reproduction, religious aspects of third party reproduction, and how to avoid pitfalls of third party reproduction. Aimed at physicians, trainees, psychologists, nurses, and social workers whose practices may include patients considering third party reproduction, the intent of this book is to provide a comprehensive and practical overview of the many aspects of third party reproduction to help all those involved to better understand them. Patients considering third party reproduction may also find value in this book.

The most profound dilemma in assisted reproduction to date is the inability to recognize potentially viable embryos before their replacement into the reproductive tract. Application of increasingly advanced new technology has allowed the field of embryo evaluation to evolve rapidly and dramatically over the past five years.
Human Preimplantation Embryo Selection assembles the leaders in the field of assisted reproduction to discuss their visions of dealing with the topic of embryo selection in the light of the limitations involving the fragility of the early human embryo.
The purpose of this book is to shed light on the ever-expanding techniques that are being employed and evaluated with regard to embryo selection. A comprehensive overview may guide the ART practitioner in choice of techniques and evaluation of benefits and drawbacks.
This book will provide an up-to-date overview and reference source: an invaluable tool for assisted reproductive practice worldwide.

Fetal and Maternal Bodies brings together the voices of abortion providers, abortion counselors, clinic owners, neonatologists, bioethicists, and historians to discuss how and why providing abortion care is moral work. The collection offers voices not usually heard as clinicians talk about their work and their thoughts about life and death. In four subsections--Providers, Clinics, Conscience, and The Fetus--the contributions in this anthology explore the historical context and present-day challenges to the delivery of abortion care. Contributing authors address the motivations that lead abortion providers to offer abortion care, discuss the ways in which anti-abortion regulations have made it increasingly difficult to offer feminist-inspired services, and ponder the status of the fetus and the ethical frameworks supporting abortion care and fetal research. Together these essays provide a feminist moral foundation to reassert that abortion care is moral work.

The aim of this book is to fill the gap between the standard textbooks of obstetrics & gynecology - which do not cover (conservative) infertility treatment - and the specialized textbooks on ART - which don't address topics such as ovulation induction/IUI and the typical treatment of disorders associated with infertility, such as hyperandrogenism and endometriosis. In many countries, the management of infertility treatment is not done by IVF specialists but by general gynecologists or primary health practitioners. In most countries, specific training and/or a license is required to do 'invasive' infertility treatments, such as IVF/ICSI; however, conservative or semi-conservative treatments - such as IUI with or without ovulation induction - can be done without specific training/licensing. This concise, clinically oriented handbook is predominantly written for gynecologists, primary health practitioners, and medical students who want to improve their knowledge on this aspect of their work. Furthermore the aim is to highlight which types of disorders may be treated by conservative means and which types of disorder should be treated by invasive treatment options such as IVF/ICSI.

Fertility Awareness is key to understanding sexual and reproductive health at all life stages. It can be used to either plan or avoid pregnancy. Fertility Awareness Methods (FAMs) are highly effective when motivated couples are taught by trained practitioners. These methods are in demand for ecological, medical, cultural, religious and moral reasons. The ability to control fertility naturally is a lifestyle choice. The Complete Guide to Fertility Awareness provides the science and methodology suitable for health professionals and a general audience. It covers reproductive physiology and the fertility indicators: temperature, cervical secretions and cycle length calculations. It explores ways to optimise conception and to manage conception delays. Case studies and self-assessment exercises are included throughout. The book addresses the scientific credibility of new technologies including fertility apps, home test kits, monitors and devices. The Complete Guide to Fertility Awareness offers: evidence-based information for general practitioners, practice nurses, school nurses, midwives, sexual health doctors and nurses a unique perspective on subfertility for gynaecologists and fertility nurses an authoritative source of reference for medical, nursing and midwifery students a straightforward and practical reference for new and experienced FAM users the core text for the FertilityUK Advanced Skills Course in Fertility Awareness

In the last 15 years, fertility treatment has become mainstream medical practice. With this evolution has come a change in focus from effectiveness ('success rates') to safety, patient acceptability and ethical questions. It is recognized that effectiveness also depends crucially on safety and good risk management. The purpose of this book is to address this wider change in focus. Reducing Risk in Fertility Treatment examines risk in assisted conception, covering a wide range of topics and areas. 'Risk' refers to situations in which an outcome of value to people is uncertain. Specifically for the purpose of this book, 'Risk' means situations where patients or professionals or society as a whole is at risk of an adverse outcome in relation to fertility treatment. It therefore encompasses clinical complications, risks inherent in laboratory practice, reputational and business risks to clinics and ethical risks to society as a whole. It will be an essential resource for all clinic staff to consult in reducing the risk associated with their work. It will provide practical resources such as 'how to' guides, but also a theoretical discussion of uncertainty where this exists. The book is primarily directed to practitioners in the area of fertility treatment, namely clinicians, embryologists, nurses, counsellors and administrators. However, it is likely also to be relevant to policy-makers, commissioners of health services, researchers in this field and biomedical ethicists.

Coping with Infertility is an essential source of emotional support for any couple struggling with involuntary childlessness. The book offers proven techniques and real-life examples from both men and women, in order to outline common emotional reactions and remind couples that they are not alone in their ups and downs. The coping skills discussed in the book have been assembled from years of working with individuals in clinical trials and have undergone rigorous scientific testing. These state-of-the-art techniques have been shown to be effective in helping couples deal with the stress, depression, relationship problems, and grief often associated with infertility. Coping with Infertility is an easily accessible and problem-focused guide for couples to use in overcoming the emotional roadblocks of infertility.

Infertility can have devastating physical, emotional and financial effects on people affected. It is a common problem, but can be hard to talk about, and hard to understand. In this concise book, Dr Kovacs, a reproductive gynaecologist who has spent the past 40 years working with patients facing fertility problems, focuses on and unpicks key misconceptions. In his clear explanations, he covers the basic physiology of conceiving, and describes the areas that have to be explored for those who have not yet been able to conceive. Specific chapters cover the three major problem areas: lack of releasing eggs, sperm problems, and abnormalities of the female passages. Treatment options are discussed for each of these areas, including technical details and a brief readable overview of their history. The many ways of parenting which are now available are also detailed. This is a recommended read for couples wanting to conceive, their friends and families, and anyone who wants to understand fertility.

One of modern healthcare's most controversial areas, reproductive medicine is an emerging discipline that fosters hugely divergent opinions on topics such as laboratory techniques, clinical management and ethical considerations. Highlighting over 50 contentious topics in reproductive medicine, this book presents expertly argued opinions are presented for and against, often with diametrically opposing views about management. Debates such as these are being increasingly used as learning tools, helping participants develop their critical thinking skills and showing that context is vital when making decisions. Issues discussed include limits on IVF provision, ethical queries about sex selection, embryology, and ovarian stimulation. Authors are authorities in their field, combining years of experience with fresh and innovative ideas to structure their arguments. Readers will gain an insight into topical controversies, critically evaluating the different sides to enhance their own clinical practice.